Describe in detail what happened including the concern or potential issue, the environment (weather, terrain, fire behavior, etc), and the resulting health issue.

During this incident and following days, units ability to communicate with dispatch or other firefighters using the repeater sites have been sketchy at best. An example was dispatch attempting to give a weather briefing, units heard about three broken words during the entire transmission. Radio tech stated the dispatcher lacked the proper harmonics and voice projection to allow the radio to broadcast appropriately. This problem isn't something that has recently occurred because Law Enforcement is moving to another system because they fear their safety. Using this system the past couple weeks has proved a challenge. There are so many areas without cell service, that the radio is our primary means of contacting help in the event of a medical event. How can we explain to a family that the reason a firefighter didn't receive proper care was the lack of proper harmonics or voice projection. Please send help to this forest!!

Immediate Action Taken

Reporting Individual : please describe actions you took to correct or mitigate the unsafe/unhealthful event.

During AAR and morning briefings, stressed the need to set up human repeaters in areas with cell phone capabilities. Utilizing a simplex TAC channel, contact would be made to HR and they would then forward to proper persons via simplex or cell.